ELTHAM COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 January 1920, Page 2

ELTHAM COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly mating of the Eltham County Council waß held on Saturday. Present: Councillors C. J. Belcher (chairman), E. I.\ Glfford, C. E. McGuinness, W. E. Carter, A. McWUllam, \V. M. Barker, W. E. MessenaJ A. L. Campbell, anil Hardwlck Smith. CORRESPONDENCE. Mr. W. H. Robinson wrote asking for some compensation for trouble he had been put to owing to the action of the ranger In turning adrift u number of calve 3 valued at £6O. He had recovered the calves by luck than anything else, after travelling about 160 miles. —Cr. Messena said the ranger appeared to have exceeded his duty. Apparently the place the cattle were taken from was outside the ranger's jurisdiction. It looked as if the calves had been taken from tho Walmate riding and beyond the Palmer Road boundary. Tho chairman said they were always In trouble with their rangers. Some were not [teen enough and, apparently, this man was too keen. He was assured that the present ranger was a good matt, and they should back him up all they could. Cr. Alessena said the ranger had no right to turn the cattle adrift. Had he taken thorn to the pound there would probably have beeu no ground for complaint. The ranger had admitted having had charge of the calves and driving them a certain distance. Cr. Gifted said that if the ranger took possession of stock it was his duty to either impound them or return them to the owner. It was decided to leave the matter in the hands of the chairman. Mr. W. J. Tristram, secretary to the Taranakl Counties Conference, notified that a meeting of the conference would be held on Friday, January 20, at Eltham, when the uniform by-laws would be further considered, and the committee's report on tho formation of a Taranakl Local Bodies Association would bo dealt with.—Recoived.

The secretary of the New Zealand Counties Association wrote stating that it was proposed, if a sufficient number of County Councils were agreeable, to establish a mutual employees' Insurance and fidelity guarantee fund. —The chairman said the conference had unanimously favored- the establishment of such a fund, but the matter did not affect them In Taranakl, where they had the Taranakl Farmers' Mutual Association, which had rereduced rates to the lowest In Australasia.— It was decided to write pointing out that the position in Taranakl was satisfactory.

The Department of Argiculture notified that the plant known a3 "latana" had been added to the third schedule of the Noxious Weeds Act. Cr. McWllliam said that noxious weeds were already absolutely beyond control, and to compel any farmer to control them would mean Uls ruination.

Cr. Glftord thought that the weed 3 might be kept in check in ploughablo land. Cr. Campbell said that the inspector was now getting busy, and those who had noxious Heads had better look out for prosecutions. No councillor was familiar with the plant "latana," and it was decided to apply for particulars.

, The question was raised as to whether the ranger, after commencing to drive stock to the pound, could, if they were reclaimed by the owner after they had only gone part of the distance, chargo driving fees for the full distance to the nearest pound. As there was some doubt on the matter it was decided to make inquiries. The request by the Education Board for exemption from toll-gate charges for their motor vehicles was again considered, but as no notice of motion was put in and the Council was not unanimously in favor of rescinding tho resolution dealing with the matter now on the minute book, consideration had to bs further deferred ia order to allow time for a notice of motion.

ENGINEERS REPORT. The engineer (Mr. R. D. Tosswill) reported as follows: — South Riding.—During tho month, the portion of Boylan Road recently refaced, from Skeet Road southwards (4400 sq. ydr,.), has been tar carpeted, and the metalled portion from Skeet Road northwards has been blinded with clay, and the tarred crust nearer Mountain Road has been patched. On Mountain Road, between Boylan Road and Ketemarae, Cldges havo been chipped off and holes in tho formation filled in with clay and a culvert has been lifted and repaired. The metal on Stuart and Dalziel Roads has also been clay blinded; From the Mangamingt Stream to the Eltham borough boundary, adjoining the (fltham Riding, the Mangawhero Road (9500 sq. yds), has been tar carpeted. Manga toki Riding.—The tar surface > of Uio upper Duthle Road from Eltham Road for a distance of HO chains, has been patched preparatory to spraying, and metal shoulders on the Eltham Road have been shaped up, blinded with clay and rolled. The foundations for the Flnnerty Road bridge, tho sinking for which has been somewhat troublesome owing to the loose nature of the formation, have now been completed and with all the uecessary steel and gravel and a good supply of cement on the site, erection should go steadily ahead. Omona Riding—On the Rawnitiroa Road the washout near Mr', dower's has been repaired and the metal has been blinded in parts. Beyond Omona slips have been cleared, watertables have been cleaned and tho widening out of narrow parts of the road has been continued. Timber for repairing the Whenuakura River bridge has been delivered at the site. Further sr.ndstoning has been done on Matalwhetu Road, overhanging scrub has-been cut back and a large tree cleared off the formation.

Kaponga Riding.—Steady progress is being made with the erection of the Mangawheroltl Stream bridge, false work for the beams nas been completed and sleel set In position and the work of Ailing In with concrete is In hnnft. The delivery of sand for top dressing Elthaun Road from tho Kaponga Town boundary to Biverlea has been completed, and sand for similar work is being delivered between Rlverloa and Awntuna. The metal on Rowan Road has been blinded and banked up In place 3, ana k start has been made with like work oa the lower portion of Mangawhero Road. Eltham Riding.—General maintenance worn has been continued on Rawhitiroa Road inciuatag the cleaning of drains and outlets to culverts, the picking up, napping, and Tainnf In of stone, the cutting back of overhanging scrub, and the removal and re-laying of shell rock at the summit of Mangamlngi Ridge where tho road was recently widened. Two hundred cubic yards of shell rock was delivered on the road from Barnard's pit, the tarred portion of the road was patched, and two Inside bends widened out In tar macadam, side channels were cleaned, and a decayed timber culvert was replaced by eleven concrete oipes. On tho northern end of Wingiove Road "slight repairs and ditch cleaning was done, and on the bridle track overhanging scrub was cut back and the formation "shaped up." The Mragawhero Road from the dairy factory to the Mangamlngi Stream (370 square yards) was tar carpeted and flood damages from the end of the metal to Ararata Stream were Inspected in company with the Public Works Department's overseer and carefully valued, hut up to the present it has not been found possible to let the work A cross section of the stream was also taken and plans for a small bridge will shortly be completed. General.—An offer has been received for the supply of 1000 cubic yards of boulder stone and 500 cubic yards of sand delivered on the Eltham Road at tho Kapttni Stream at 4s 6d and 7s 6d respectively, also for 100 cubic yards of sand (for Auroa. Road) dumped at the Riverlea toll gate at 9s 6d per cubic yard. At Mio depot a small pump has been set up to lift tho tar from tho reservoir to tho boilers which has provod a groat convenience and saves considerable time and labor as against lifting by wlndt as heretofore. The chairman and engineer of the Klwltea County Council made a visit of inspection to tho Council's plant and tar-spraying operations, and were supplied with Information and details concerning same. At the suggestion of Cr. McWllllnm, tho engineer was instructed to report on the YVhenuakura Bridge at tho next meeting, It having been pointed out that the present bridge was not suitable for working cattle across the river.

Tho report was adopted. Replying to Cr. Messena, tho engineer stated that he hud 11)0 cases of petrol on order, an<2 delivery wag already overdue. , The chairman reported that the Stratford County Council would not he able to do anything to the Palmer Road bridge for about two years. The chairman said that owing to the holidays little had been done In regard to the preparation of a report on the erection of cottages for tho Council's employees. From Inquiries, concroto would make the buildings too costly, but tho Government was erecting a number of concrete houses in Wellington, and they were obtaining all the Information they could. It was agreed that the statutory half holiday bo on a Thursday. Cr. Campbell urged that a resolution should bo "passed and forwarded to the Government with the object of expediting the re-openlng of tho mountain quarry, and the chairman said that tho matter would be deal with at n conference of local bodies shortly. Accounts totalling £1749 lis Cd were passed for payment.